When I was studying, I was told that I would never be asked for money in the watchtower organization. As far as I know, this was the general consensus in the congregation.
One time, our congregation was in a very embarrassing financial situation, being two months behind in paying the electric bill. People were very unhappy with what was going on in the elder body, and of course, were not giving, because what else could they really do to make a statement?
Since there was so much uproar going on, and I was already questioning the motives of the GB, I was waiting with bated breath to see how that would all play out. Would the elders stick to their policy and put J to the test; would they see the unhappiness they had been causing everyone and bow their heads in shame and beg J's forgiveness and turn over a new leaf, and thus start the money flowing again?
They decided to designate the least-hated elder to go begging behind the scenes to certain people for money (even asking for specific dollar amounts) which they were coerced into giving, causing them to violate the principle of not giving under compulsion.
We were always told to wait on Jehovah, but they didn't have the faith to do that themselves.
Now it just occurs to me as I am writing this that I wasn't the only one waiting to see it play out. If those people hadn't been talked into giving the money, the electricity would have been shut off. Then what? No meetings? Private homes? The whole elder body deleted? I'll never get to know.
Did anything like that ever happen in your congregation? Is there written policy on not being asked for money?